Factors that make a boar suitable for neutering?

[Sallypaws]

Hi.

After Bumble's failed attempt at making friends with his new baby boar chum i am hoping to bite the bullit and book him in for Monday for castration :...

Is there a specific age or weight that makes it right?
His boy bits are there for all to see and then some rolleyes !

Help!

 

[Tracyxx]

I would say he would need to be a good weight and not have had any other health problems?

 

[Sallypaws]

Thanks Tracy

What would be considered as a good weight?

 

[Tracyxx]

Sally, how old is he? Does he have good overall 'condition' - ie when you pick him up, does he feel heavy? When you run your hands over him does he feel well proportioned and not bony?

 

[alcesterpigs]

Why do you want to have him neutered?
It will only make him sterile, it has no effect on his aggression level towards other boars.

 

[Sallypaws]

He will be getting a wife shortly so want to get him neutered as soon as is safe as he's quite lonely and intros with baby boars have been unsucessful.

He is in excellent condition, coats fab and he has been putting on weight since i got him.

Just been upstairs to weigh him and he's 605 grams, age wise he's about 16-18 weeks old?

How does that sound?

 

[Vikki]

Personally I would not neuter a male until he was 6 months and about 800g +. I know many people neuter around 4 months but 6 is my personal preference. If you are going to neuter him make sure your research your vets well and go to one that someone you know has used before successfully. Many vets do not perform the operation often and even those that do can have a poor track record when you ask around. There is a great check list of questions to ask about anesthetics used etc on a guinea site somewhere think I have posted it in a thread before. Just search castration or neutering and lots of useful threads will pop up.

I initially used a vet which was recommended by another rescue a few years ago when I was starting out three piggies were castrated one was fine, one developed post op abscessess the other herniated and during a second operation had to be put to sleep as the damage could not be repaired. I waited a very long time before ever neutering a piggy again, finally I found our current vet who is excellent and specialises in exotics- well over a dozen neuters performed in the last 6 months or so no post op complications for any of them and all the piggies recovered very well.

Really word researching via word of mouth before commiting to a vet, on visiting someone with a bereaved piggy as her boyfriend had died after castration (they had come to the family as a mis sexed pair) I discovered they had been to the same vet I had initially used and they were informed by the vet that they had never had any problems neutering piggys and all had recovered fine. (Codswallop!!)

Alcesterpigs is right neutering may not affect aggression levels but stroppy boys do generally live happily with ladies after a castration. It is an elective surgery so do make sure you are aware of the risks etc before you decide to go ahead.

Good luck but do research everything first before taking your piggy in on monday.